Apply for funding
2026 grant call: 1 February – 31 March 2026 non-clinical PhD studentships ONLY
How to apply
See below full information on our research strategy, funding criteria and application deadlines. To apply for our funding, please download our application form, complete and submit by email to research@debra.org.uk.
You can also sign up to our researchers database to be kept informed of future research funding and other opportunities.
If you wish to discuss your proposed research area in advance of submission, please contact Dr Sagair Hussain, Director of Research: Sagair.Hussain@debra.org.uk.
Summary of research strategy and application process
DEBRA UK wants to fund you to help create a world where no one suffers with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). This painful and life-limiting condition affects many major organs of the body, including skin, eyes, kidneys, gastrointestinal and urinary tracts, causing painful blistering, scarring and increased risk of skin cancer. We fund research on all of the four genetic types of EB and encourage applications from researchers working on EBS where there is an unmet need.
Our goals are informed by the research priorities of the EB community, established in our 2025 JLA priority setting report that highlighted the top ten research needs for each of the four EB types.
Download our research strategy
Our research funding is awarded through a rigorous process including experts by experience and scientific experts and is supported through our membership of the AMRC.
Applicants may also choose to attend our Applications Clinic to involve people living with EB in the design of their application.
We offer the following funding opportunities in 2026:
DEBRA UK non-clinical PhD studentship call for UK and international applications is open on 1 February 2026 with a deadline of 31 March 2026.
Non-clinical DEBRA UK PhD studentships of up to £140,000 for four years (including consumables for the first 3.5 years only to allow a six month period for students to complete the write up of their thesis) will be available to UK and international researchers through our research calls. Funding will be judged on relevance to EB, scientific merit and novelty. Applicants must demonstrate the potential benefit to EB patients and suitable support for the PhD student in the research proposal. Only one application per grant call will be considered from each principal investigator. The principal investigator should apply for the award and include any co-supervisor of the PhD student as a co-applicant. It is not necessary to name a PhD candidate in the application; the position can be advertised after the funding is awarded and should start within 6 months of the award date.
- 2023 success rate: 67%
- 2024 success rate: 75%
- 2025 success rate: 29%
MRC/DEBRA UK Predoctoral clinical research training fellowship call is open 22 October 2025 with a deadline of 14 January 2026 (UK only). Then open 15 January 2026 with a deadline of 8 April 2026.
PhD grant awards for 2- to 3-year projects to develop UK healthcare professionals into EB researchers. The criteria will be the same as for project grants with the addition of quality of research environment and training for students. This is an ongoing scheme with application rounds closing in January, April and September.
Application is through the MRC Website, where you can also find guidance on the application process.
If you wish to discuss your proposed research area in advance of submission, please contact Dr Sagair Hussain, Director of Research.
There are no DEBRA UK small grants available in 2026.
DEBRA UK small grant awards of up to £15,000 are offered to national and international clinical or research scientists to support small pilot studies such as generation of preliminary data or feasibility studies which would not normally attract funding. The aim is to make larger follow up funding grants more competitive.
- 2023 success rate: 100%
- 2024 success rate: 17%
- 2025 success rate: 0% – no small grants were awarded in 2025 due to funding constraints
- 2026 n/a
NOT AVAILABLE IN 2026
There are no DEBRA UK project grants available in 2026.
DEBRA UK project grants of up to £200,000 for 2-3 years are offered to UK and international researchers through our research calls. Funding will be judged on relevance to EB, scientific merit and novelty. Applicants must demonstrate the potential benefit to EB patients in the research proposal. Only one application per grant call will be considered from each principal investigator.
- 2023 success rate: 28%
- 2024 success rate: 14%
- 2025 success rate: 12%
- 2026 n/a
NOT AVAILABLE IN 2026
There are no DEBRA UK fellowship awards available in 2026.
DEBRA UK funding criteria
Our key criteria will be:
- scientific and treatment potential in relation to EB.
- applications must have clear aims and objectives to advance scientific understanding of EB and therapeutic interventions.
- projects must be feasible and achievable in the stated time period, as funding cannot be extended.
- applications will not be accepted by DEBRA UK from principal investigators who were awarded our project grant funding in the previous year as a PI.
- only one application per DEBRA UK grant type will be considered from each principal investigator.
We also co-fund research with other charity partners.
Our four overarching EB research priorities are those we view most likely to deliver outputs for people living with EB:
Can your work on EB, eczema, psoriasis, skin cancer or other skin conditions contribute to developing a treatment pipeline to slow, stop and/or reverse EB? We will fund work to identify and select candidate repurposed drugs for clinical trials.
Can your research on eye/dental health, podiatry, skin care, nutrition or other relevant areas be translated into interventions that benefit patients? We will fund multidisciplinary translational research.
Are you researching the drivers of EB, the relationship between genes and proteins, the role of the immune system and the progression of cancer within EB? We will fund work to understand the causes of EB.
Are you building a strong community of highly trained, innovative researchers into EB or moving from another field into EB research? We will fund PhD students and career development fellowships.